


Working Out Aggression

by SheeWolf85



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Beginning Romance, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pre-Relationship, friends to "hey let's kiss", it's one o'clock in the morning okay, secret drummer edge, shhhh don't tell anyone, some language, sorta?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:22:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25705801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheeWolf85/pseuds/SheeWolf85
Summary: Rus was just grabbing something for his bro. That was all. Just a quick stop over at Edge's to get some fancy kitchen gadget or another. Except, Edge is nowhere to be seen and that music is suspiciously loud.Alternative summary: Rus discovers a secret side to Edge he never knew existed. It's kinda hot. And by that he means he really needs to kiss that sexy skeleton now.
Relationships: Papyrus/Papyrus (Undertale), Spicyhoney
Comments: 19
Kudos: 77





	Working Out Aggression

**Author's Note:**

> it's one o'clock in the morning and I've been exhausted all day. This came about as a need to see Edge being sexy (when is he not?) and drumming out his aggression. It's been about as edited as I can manage at the moment and I'm gonna post and hope for the best. 
> 
> I spent the last four hours of my life slaving for this masterpiece, so y'all had best enjoy it. 
> 
> ....
> 
> (I kid, but I do hope y'all like it)
> 
> If you'd like something of a playlist to read to, here are the songs I had on repeat while writing: 
> 
> Wash It All Away - Five Finger Death Punch  
> Over and Under It - Five Finger Death Punch (specifically the song Edge is playing when Rus enters the basement)  
> Welcome to the Family - Avenged Sevenfold  
> Beast and the Harlot - Avenged Sevenfold

Rus stepped out of the shortcut and looked up at the house that was his destination. It was an ordinary house on a street of equally ordinary houses. Two stories, pale blue siding with white trim, and a well-kept and simple wire fence with no menacing barbed wire at the top. The yard was beautifully landscaped with varying garden beds, some with pretty flowers and some with vegetables or herbs. There wasn’t a weed in sight, and Rus was pretty sure it was partly out of fear. All the weedy brethren would have spread the news that messing with this lawn meant certain death. 

It was honestly the only outward sign of the edgy, emo occupants of said house, if Rus were honest with himself. 

Not that Red did much in the way of gardening, but Rus was pretty sure Edge had blackmailed him into pulling a weed or two at least once in his life. 

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Rus opened the gate and stepped through, securing it behind him before making his way up the pristine walkway to knock on the door. He was here to get something for his brother, and as much as he would have liked to teleport directly into the house and grab it, he didn’t know exactly where Edge kept his herb scissors, or even what they looked like, so he had to play nice and knock like everyone else. 

And so he knocked. And waited. And knocked again. He could hear the music from out here, something with a fast, heavy beat. Red must be home. Blue had insisted that Edge was as well, had just been on the phone with him less than an hour earlier. Rus wouldn’t have guessed Edge let his brother listen to music that loud. 

Then again, Rus knew frustratingly little about Edge. He was always so...unreadable. Even when it seemed like he was maybe probably happy, like when he opened Blue’s present to him last Gyftmas, there was no discernable emotion in his voice or on his face. Red insisted that a person just needed to get to know him to understand him, but Rus didn’t see how anyone could get to know him in the first place. Blue seemed to have made some sort of headway, but then Blue was good at things like that.

Rus knocked again when he realized he’d been standing on the porch thinking while listening to the muted sounds of heavy metal coming from somewhere in the house. 

When no answer came again, Rus took out his phone and sent a text to Blue. 

**_Rus:_ ** _ nobody’s answering. you sure edge is here? _

Blue’s answer came quickly. 

**_Blue:_ ** _ Yes, I’m sure. He might be busy in the backyard. He did say he was going to work on the fence today. Just use your key; he knows you’re coming. _

Rus groaned and let his shoulders slump as he dug his keys out petulantly. Once again, he had to play nice and not teleport because the Edgelord thought it was disrespectful. It kinda was, but that wasn’t the point. Why have a gift if you can’t even use it for things like this? It was basically the same thing as using the key, except for the pesky little detail of the magic in the lock that determined the intent of the one doing the unlocking. Yeah. If anyone were to try to pick this lock, they’d have to get past the gate first and that would likely dismember a person before they’d get this far. 

Not the point, Rus knew, but still. 

Unlocking the door, Rus focused on retrieving the strange little kitchen tool his brother needed and stepped into the house. The music was much louder. Something hard and heavy and fast, the drums somehow louder than anything else. What the hell kind of speakers was Red even using? Rus needed to know, because damn, he needed some. 

“hey edge?” he called out, making his way through the immaculate living room to the sliding door that led to the backyard. “i’m here to get the thing for blue.” The sliding door was open, and he peeked his head out to see if he could spot Edge anywhere out there. The yard wasn’t huge, and there was no sign of a ninja-impersonator. 

Going back through the living room, he went to the kitchen, calling out again. “he said you were here; i think i just need the strange scissors. you wanna just tell me where they’re at?” He didn’t really expect an answer, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to try. 

On the wall just outside the kitchen where Edge had a few pictures hung, one of them was crooked. Rus’ brow furrowed; that was odd. Edge usually had everything within his control ruler straight, everything from his posture to his tie to how the silverware lined up in the drawer. Rus fixed the frame, and as he did, the song changed. There was an odd little trill of the cymbals before the next song started, just as loud and fast as all the others. 

Really, the picture frame should have been a clue. As Rus stepped into the kitchen, something crunched under his shoes. He froze in place and looked down to see a puddle with the shattered remnants of a green glass. 

What the fuck?

“edge?” he called out again, concerned this time. “hey, are you okay?” He walked around the glass and looked for any clues that might help him figure out what the heck was going on here. He probably should just go ask Red, but he couldn't stop himself from trying to find the answers in the mess that was currently Edge’s kitchen. 

There was a whiteboard on the fridge that was usually either blank or held a list of whatever Edge needed to get at the store written in Edge’s handwriting. At the moment, whatever had been written on it was hastily wiped away leaving evidence around the edges and a message in the middle in Red’s handwriting. 

_ “FUCK YOU TOO, ASSHOLE!” _

That...wasn’t confusing or anything. 

Okay, yeah, he wasn’t getting any answers from anything in plain sight, and the urge to snoop was getting to be cat-killing levels. It was time to admit he couldn’t divine anything from a shattered glass and a scrawled note and go talk to Red. 

A quick look-around told him that the music was coming from the basement. He braced himself for the all-too-real possibility of losing his hearing and headed down. 

The machines had all been taken apart once they all reached the surface, and where the brothers all used to hold the equipment was now whatever each wanted it to be. Blue and Rus turned their surface basement into a hobby area where the both of them could get creative in their own way, Rus with his lab and Blue with his extensive arts and crafts. Papyrus had set up an extensive exercise room and Sans’ only input on the whole thing was a small corner he could use for gaming and virtual reality. 

Edge and Red...well, to be honest, Rus hadn’t known until today what exactly they’d done with their basement. Red had only ever said it was for music, and Edge never commented on it at all, which wasn’t surprising in the least. 

What was surprising was the amount of musical instruments placed reverently around the room. Several guitars, some acoustic and some electric, two different amplifiers, different horns that Rus couldn’t name except was that a tuba? No, a saxophone. Tubas were bigger. Rus was pretty sure it was a saxophone. 

And in the middle of the room was a very large, very occupied drum set with the very last person Rus would have expected to be playing them. Edge’s sockets were closed, his mouth moving to the lyrics that Rus could only sometimes understand, brows furrowed tightly together as his body moved with the vigorous beat he was drumming out.

Rus didn’t know the first thing about drumming and only enough about this kind of music to know that he didn’t like it, but he was transfixed. How did Edge know all these songs? How did he play so flawlessly when it sounded like there had to be two drummers to go that fast? It was then Rus realized that both of Edge’s legs were moving as well. It didn’t answer his question in the slightest. No, it only added more questions. What was he doing with his feet? 

He found himself staring for so many different reasons, not the least of which was how damn hot Edge was. Sweat was dripping down his skull, droplets flying as he swung his head to the music and half-sang, half-screamed along, he was dressed in a tight black tank top that showed off his delectably strong bones, dirty from having been working outside earlier. He’d never seen Edge like this, never, and if he’d been a betting skeleton, he would have said it was about as likely as finding a million gold pieces tucked into his shoes tomorrow morning. 

The song ended, but Edge didn’t stop playing. With no song guiding him, Rus might have thought there would be no real beat or music, but he was so wrong. He watched in awe as Edge’s arms moved with practiced ease, the drumsticks all but blurring with how quickly they moved from cymbal to drum and back again. Edge opened his mouth and screamed, the sound angry and fitting of the music he was making. 

And then he opened his sockets. 

The sudden silence was deafening as Edge jumped back from the drum set. Rus was pretty sure it was only Edge’s iron control that kept him from actually throwing the attack he conjured. His chest heaved with labored breaths, though Rus couldn’t tell if it was from the exertion of playing the drums or the surprise of seeing someone there when he thought he was alone. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he shouted. 

Rus swallowed. He should probably apologize. It was pretty rude to sneak up on someone like this, but then Rus had tried to call out. It was hardly his fault that Edge couldn't hear him. He should say something. 

“uh…”

What exactly was he doing here? Staring, yes, but that wasn’t a very good answer. 

Edge dismissed the attack and walked over to where he had a small towel waiting for him. He wiped the sweat from his face and stalked up to Rus. It was so not fair that his soul chose this moment to recognize the few inches Edge had on him as ridiculously attractive. He swallowed and looked up as Edge glared down at him. 

“Do I need to ask you again?” he asked, his voice a rough growl. 

Yes. Yes, Rus was pretty sure Edge needed to pin him against a wall right about now and kiss the answers out of him. 

Answers. 

Wait. 

Shit, okay, he was actually here for a reason. 

“i tried to find you upstairs,” he managed. “you weren’t there.”

Edge’s brow raised, about the most emotion he usually showed. “Obviously. That doesn’t tell me what you’re doing sneaking around my house.” He flipped the towel over his shoulder and walked over to get a bottle of water from where the towel had been. He opened one and drained half of it in one go. 

Seriously, why was that hot? 

He wiped his face again and held out a second water bottle. Rus took it without thinking. 

“blue said you knew i was coming?” Slowly, his thoughts were coming back up to his head. He was here to get something for Blue. “something about some scissors?”

Edge nodded. “Yes, they’re on the coffee table.”

Were they? He hadn’t even looked there. Well, shit. 

“i didn’t see them. the kitchen is...i was concerned.”

Edge sighed but didn’t comment. Instead, he gestured for Rus to head back up the stairs. When he didn’t turn immediately, Edge reached out and placed and hand on Rus’ back to urge him gently where he wanted him to go. Once upstairs, he continued herding Rus to the living room where the very strange looking pair of scissors was sitting innocently. He picked them up and held them out. 

Rus took them slowly. “thanks.”

Edge nodded once. “I’m sure Blue is waiting for those,” he said neutrally. Whatever shield he usually had around himself was back up, it seemed. 

“yeah.” He’d been so eager to get these and go back home so he could finish his nap, but now he found he really didn’t want to leave. He’d caught a glimpse of a side of Edge that he knew without a doubt he’d never see again, but he couldn’t just pretend it hadn’t happened the way Edge probably wanted him to. 

“I trust you know the way out,” Edge said curtly before turning on his heel and walking back toward the kitchen. He stopped just before he entered to fix the frame that Rus had tried to fix before. 

Rus smirked to himself. That little quirk would have annoyed the crap out of him only an hour earlier. But now? He had to wonder why Edge held himself so rigidly all the time when it was obvious he had passion in his soul somewhere. 

He found himself following Edge to the kitchen. 

Edge turned the moment he walked in, his brow furrowed, but not any further than it ever went. Not in anger, but confusion. “What are you doing?”

“i...honestly don’t know,” Rus said quietly. “i think i wanted to tell you that you’re really talented. i don’t even like that kind of music and i thought you were great.”

A soft blush bloomed across Edge’s cheekbones, and Rus’ poor soul took a critical hit. This was too much. How was it possible that Edge could go from someone Rus could hardly describe past “stoic” to really damn hot and now incredibly cute in the span of an hour? 

“Thank you.” 

This was too much. 

“i kinda had red pinned as the metal lover,” Rus tried, hoping for any tiny crumb of information Edge might bless him with. 

Edge’s eye lights contracted and his jaw tightened. Crap, Rus was pushing his luck. He needed to let this go and leave Edge alone, he knew he did, but he found he couldn’t just leave. He wanted to stay near Edge for a little while longer. He couldn't name this feeling in his soul, but it was strong as hell. 

But Edge sucked in a breath and let it out slowly, the tension in his jaw easing. “Would you believe me if I told you that half of Red’s wardrobe consists of my t-shirts from when I was teenager?” 

Yesterday that would have been a hard no. Now? “yeah, i think i would believe that.”

Was that a smirk? That was probably a smirk. “I grew up in Mettaton’s shirts and would search out any clothing that fit the aesthetic. It shouldn’t be too surprising that they were all heavy metal bands. I haven’t found all of the bands yet, but a good majority of them.”

As Edge spoke, he began cleaning up the mess of broken glass and spilled water. 

“have you ended up liking all the bands you had shirts for?” Rus asked, crouching down to help gather the larger pieces of glass. 

Edge quickly took his hands, easing the glass from his grip with surprising gentleness. “Please don’t do that,” he said softly. “I can handle this; don’t cut yourself.” Even as he said it, he looked Rus’ hands over, his rough fingertips sliding gently over Rus’ phalanges.

It was Rus’ turn to be indignant, because this was about as ridiculous as it was intriguing. “a little cut won’t kill me, edge. it’s not like the glass has any real intent. and besides, my hp isn’t  _ that  _ low.” He still didn’t take his hands from Edge’s.

Edge huffed, that almost-smirk appearing on his face again. “I’m aware. I’m not concerned because of your HP. I’d still rather you didn’t hurt yourself trying to help me.” He handed Rus the mostly-dry towel that was still draped over his shoulder. “Let me get the glass and you can wipe up the water on the table, okay?”

That was probably as good as Rus was going to get, and it was honestly better than he’d been expecting. “sure.”

As he went over to mop up the confusingly large puddle of water on the table and the floor underneath it, he was a little surprised to hear Edge continue talking. 

“To answer your question, no, I have not liked every band I have shirts for. Some of them would have suited my teenage self much better than they do now.” He went on to talk a little about the bands and why he liked them. Rus was intrigued to learn that they weren’t all centered around a common theme of death and destruction. Some bands followed political themes while others sought to empower their listeners with compelling and vigorous songs of self acceptance and recognition. 

It was the most Rus and Edge had talked, ever. Granted, they never really had any time to be together, just the two of them, but maybe Rus wanted to change that. Most definitely Rus wanted to change that. 

After the kitchen was cleaned, even down to the foul message erased from the whiteboard on the fridge, Edge once again held out the odd scissors. 

“I’m sure Blue is not only worried about you, but getting impatient for these.”

It was as blatant as cue as anything, but still Rus didn’t want to leave. 

Edge seemed to catch on to his thoughts. “I appreciate your help, but unless you want to work on a broken fence, you should probably go.” 

“what happened between you and red?” he heard himself blurt. He could have smacked himself for that; Edge’s reaction to even the mention of Red earlier should have been a clue that he didn’t want to talk about it. 

But Edge surprised him yet again. That smirk was getting more recognizable. “A difference of opinion.”

Rus raised a brow. “oh, was that all?” he asked, going for the same blase tone Edge had used. 

Edge nodded once. “Yes, that was all.” 

“hmm.” He wasn’t very well convinced, but it was clear he wasn’t getting more of an explanation. “well, it’s been fun, edgelord. have fun with your fence.” He offered a mock solute with the scissors and started walking out of the kitchen.

“Rus?” Edge’s voice stopped him before he could push open the door. 

He turned to see Edge watching him closely with that predatory look he got sometimes. He swallowed and hummed, waiting for Edge to say something. For a long moment, he didn’t, he just stood there staring, and soon Rus was going to start sweating because that stare was unfairly attractive. 

Moving slowly, Edge walked up to him, close enough that Rus had to look up to meet his eye lights. He could smell the spicy scent of his sweat, could feel the heat of his body, and all Rus wanted was to push himself forward and kiss him, throw his arms around those broad shoulders and feel his arms squeeze him close. 

“Don’t tell anybody what you saw today.” 

The words and his fantasy were so incongruous that it took a moment to even comprehend what Edge had said. As he did, a strange hurt started to fill his soul. He wasn’t sure why it was painful to know that Edge wasn’t thinking the same thing he was. Of course he wasn’t. He had more important things to think about.

“your secret identity is safe with me, superman,” Rus said with a smirk, shoving that strange hurt down deep for another day. 

Edge’s shoulders fell a fraction of an inch and he let out a sigh. Relief? Was he honestly worried Rus would go blabbing about Edge being a secret drummer to the whole town? He supposed it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t have told anyone anyway for the simple reason that nobody would believe him. 

He nodded again, but didn’t step back to let Rus leave. When Rus looked up, Edge was staring at him again, his crimson eye lights blazing. Was he having second thoughts about letting Rus leave? Rus wasn’t exactly against that, but it was the motives he was concerned about. If kisses weren’t on the table, then he was pretty sure that stare meant securing the safety of a secret by any means necessary. He’d never been afraid of Edge, not even way back in the beginning, but there was a teeny tiny whisper in the back of his head that told him maybe he should be. 

“Rus?” his voice was a low, hoarse whisper that shot straight to Rus’ soul. He managed a hum. He nearly jumped out of his bones when Edge raised a hand to very gently touch his cheekbone. “I don’t know how to say this. I’m not good at this kind of thing, and I apologize in advance if I’m being too forward, but I can’t help but feel that this is an opportunity I will regret if I don’t take it.” 

Rus waited a moment for Edge to say more. When he didn’t, Rus swallowed and nodded. “so far you’re not being too forward. kinda hard to be when you don’t say anything.”

Edge’s jaw clenched tight, but he didn’t step back and he didn’t put his hand down. Instead, he cupped the side of Rus’ face and closed the distance between them, pressing their mouths together in a soft kiss. Rus stood rigid for a moment until the reality of the situation seeped into his understanding. 

Edge was kissing him. 

All too soon, Edge pulled back, a blush gracing his cheekbones. 

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, dropping his hand and stepping back. His next words came out in a rush. “I don’t know what came over me. I thought you...It doesn’t matter. Please tell Blue I’m sorry for keeping you so long.”

“wait, edge.” Rus reached out to grab Edge’s arm with his free hand. “you thought i what?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Edge repeated, looking anywhere but at Rus. He didn’t pull away, however, and Rus took that as a good sign. 

“it does matter,” he pressed. “it matters, because if you thought i wanted you to kiss me, you were right. i just didn’t expect it.”

Edge looked at him then, his eye lights so fiercely bright they took his breath away. “Really?”

Rus couldn’t help but smile at the hopeful tone. “really. can we try that again? this time i won’t stand here like a statue?”

He really didn’t expect Edge to lunge forward and capture his mouth in a kiss that managed to be both rough and gentle at the same time. He didn’t have a complaint in the world as he lifted his arms around Edge’s shoulders and held on like in his earlier daydream. His soul fluttered wildly in his chest as Edge pulled him close, one hand clutching the shirt at his back and the other gently cradling the back of his head. 

Rus parted his teeth first, tentative and hopeful. He heard himself whimper when Edge accepted the silent request and deepened the kiss, their tongues winding together as they held onto each other tightly. 

He couldn’t say how long they stood in the middle of Edge’s kitchen kissing before his phone began to ring. The sound was loud and jarring, and it broke the spell. They pulled apart reluctantly, and Rus reached into his pocket to get his phone, struggling with it in his frustration. He shouldn’t have been surprised to see Blue’s name on the screen.

“hey bro,” he answered, trying to ignore the twinge of guilt in his soul. 

“Brother! What on Earth is taking you so long? I’ve been trying to reach you for nearly an hour now. If I didn’t have GPS tracking on your phone to see that you were still at Edge’s, I would have started organizing a search party.” 

“uh...yeah, sorry, edge and i kinda got talking and i lost track of time. sorry to worry ya, bro; i didn’t hear my phone.”

Blue sighed in that relieved way that only amplified the guilt in his soul. “I supposed I can’t be too upset if you and Edge have been getting to know each other better. You really could have picked a better time for it, though.”

“yeah, i know. i’ll be home in a minute, ‘kay?”

“I sure hope so. Lunch will be done shortly. You can tell Edge nevermind about the herb scissors, too, by the way. I gave up waiting and just chopped them by hand. I’ll buy another pair to replace my broken ones tomorrow.”

Rus looked down at the funky scissors in his hand and snickered. “sure, bro.” They hung up and Rus held out the scissors. “blue says thanks but no thanks; he gave up on me and just cut ‘em up.”

Edge nodded and took the scissors, setting them on the counter before pulling Rus up close to him. Rus went without objection and leaned into the soft kiss. 

“can i tell people about this?” he asked with a smirk. 

Edge smirked back. “Yes.” Another kiss. “Now go home before your brother decides to come drag you back himself. Please call me when you have a moment later; I’d like to talk with you about whatever this is and how we would like to move forward.”

Rus nodded. “i can do that. see you soon?”

A single nod and a curt “Yes” was his answer. Edge walked with him to the door and gave him one last kiss before he managed to tear himself away enough to actually go home. 

For once, Rus was looking forward to more than lunch waiting for him at home. 

**Author's Note:**

> Fun Fact: This was actually inspired by The Pretender by Foo Fighters while on my way home from work. It was a stressful day, and Edge's level of aggression just kept growing to much more metal levels than I initially thought, lol. 
> 
> Fun Fact #2: Edge and Red were arguing over whether or not Edge should use this opportunity of Rus coming over to finally tell him how he feels. Red was adamant it was perfect timing and Edge was....not so certain. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!


End file.
